Elizabeth Webb

• Doctor of Epidemiology
• Associate Professor at University of Pretoria

Background: In South Africa, screening for diabetic retinopathy (DR) is non-existent at the primary healthcare (PHC) level because of the absence of a screening programme. This leads to preventable vision loss.Aim: To describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of eye screenings and subsequent referrals.Setting: Laudium Community Health Cent...

Background: In South Africa, initiating and managing insulin in primary care for people living with type 2 diabetes (PLWD) is a major challenge. To address these challenges, a multidisciplinary team from the University of Pretoria (South Africa) developed the Tshwane Insulin project (TIP) intervention. Aim: To determine internal and external facto...

Aims: To assess barriers to insulin therapy among people with type 2 diabetes after adapting the Insulin Treatment Appraisal Scale (ITAS) to the South African context. Methods: A panel of experts reviewed the original ITAS for clarity and relevance to the South African context. The ITAS was administered to 253 adults with type 2 diabetes attendi...

Objectives: A study was undertaken to assess the feasibility and safety of the Tshwane Insulin Project (TIP) intervention, describe patients’ and healthcare professionals’ experiences with the intervention, and determine preliminary treatment effects on glycaemic control. Design: This was a single-group feasibility study. Setting: The study was c...

Background In South Africa, initiating insulin for people with type 2 diabetes and subsequent titration is a major challenge for the resource-constrained healthcare system. Inadequate support systems in primary care, including not being able to access blood glucose monitors and test strips for self-monitoring of blood glucose, results in patients w...

Background In South Africa, increasing illicit opioid use and associated health challenges can be managed with opioid substitution therapy (OST), like methadone, provided it is prescribed at the recommended dose and duration. The Community Oriented Substance Use Programme (COSUP) provides free methadone to patients with Opiod Use Disorder across Ts...

Purpose: To determine if the scores obtained from the Ideal Clinic Assessment Tool (ICAT) used to assess the quality of care in public Primary Health Care facilities in South Africa showed inter-rater agreement between self-assessments, district peer reviews and cross-district peer reviews. The ICAT scores obtained in the three types of reviews we...

Aims To investigate the attitudes and beliefs of primary healthcare practitioners (HCPs) towards initiating insulin therapy for people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in South Africa. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted amongst HCPs from 23 clinics. The nurses’ questionnaire was administered by research nurses while doctors completed an onli...

Background: In South Africa, the Central Chronic Medicine Dispensing and Distribution (CCMDD) programme allows stable patients with non-communicable diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), to collect their medication from a pick-up location near their home, thus avoiding long waiting times and travel expenses. The CCMDD programme aims...

As a school subject, life orientation (LO) aims to improve learner well-being, but a lack of classroom resources may be a barrier. We investigated whether classroom resources were equally available for LO educators in fully funded (no-fee) and partially funded (fee-paying) high schools in Tshwane South, South Africa. In this analytical cross-sectio...

BACKGROUND: In South Africa (SA), increasing illicit opioid use and associated health challenges can be managed with opioid substitution therapy (OST), such as methadone, if the recommended dose and duration of use are prescribed. The Community Oriented Substance Use Programme (COSUP) provides free methadone to patients with opioid use disorder in...

Factors predicting 6-month retention among people with opioid use disorders accessing outpatient methadone maintenance therapy in Tshwane, South Africa NR Gloeck, BN Harris, EM Webb, A Scheibe Background. In South Africa (SA), increasing illicit opioid use and associated health challenges can be managed with opioid substitution therapy (OST), suc...

Aims To determine factors associated with ‘hypothetical willingness’ to start insulin among people with Type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Methods A quantitative cross-sectional study with insulin-naïve T2DM patients at 23 primary care facilities in the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. Data collected included demographic and clinical data, willingness to s...

Aim To describe the clinical outcomes of patients with type 2 diabetes (DM2) and hypertension (HT) who received treatment and care at a specialized primary healthcare facility. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted and data retrieved from 349 patient’s records. The clinical outcomes were linked to individual risk factors and demographic pr...

Carcass condemnation is a problem in the South African beef industry, but the causes and risk factors have not been studied or quantified. Better understanding of the cumulative incidence and causative predictors of carcass condemnations could assist in improving cattle management during transportation, preslaughter and lairage in high-throughput a...

Background: In South Africa, much of diabetes care takes place at primary healthcare (PHC) facilities where screening for diabetic complications is often low. Clinics require access to equipment, resources and a functional health system to do effective screening, but what is unknown is whether these components are in place. Aim: The aim of this stu...

Over time diabetes affects the amount of insulin a person's body makes. This happens even when people take tablets properly and have excellent control of blood sugars. This is why almost all people who have diabetes have to start taking insulin injections. This guide is a collaborative output of experts to support the initiation of insulin therapy...

Meat animal production has changed considerably from the initial domestication of livestock until the Industrial Revolution which resulted in a livestock revolution. Meat animal production changed from providing food security, to keeping maximum animal numbers, focusing on maximum production and efficiency, to its current focus on product quality,...

Aim and objectives Our study had two primary objectives. The first was to evaluate the effect of an expert review with an individualised patient management plan on change in HbA1c. The second was to determine whether a mobile screening unit would increase the proportion of patients screened for glycaemic and lipid control, as well as diabetic compl...

Meat animal production has changed considerably from the initial domestication of livestock until the Industrial Revolution which resulted in a livestock revolution. Meat animal production changed from providing food security, to keeping maximum animal numbers, focussing on maximum production and efficiency, to its current focus on product quality,...

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy, maculopathy and visual loss in primary care patients and to identify associated risk factors. Research design and methods: We conducted a cluster randomised trial at primary care clinics in the Tshwane district in South Africa. Grades of retinopathy and macu...

Objective: To determine the factors influencing non-attendance with clinic appointments in diabetic patients at a Gauteng Hospital in 2007/2008.Setting: Two diabetes clinics situated at a secondary-level hospital, that offer more specialised outpatient care to adult patients with type 1 and 2 diabetes.Design: Between 21 November 2007 and 12 March 2...

Aims: To describe the diabetic population receiving primary care from the Tshwane district public health services and to assess the quality of care of members of this population, their level of disease control and the extent of their complications. Methods: A cluster-randomised trial was conducted in 12 primary care clinics in Tshwane district....

This study aimed to characterize the exposure of 5-year old children attending preschool facilities in Pretoria to lead (as an example of an environmental pollutant) in air and surface soil, specifically in relation to their activity patterns.

The authors characterized the exposure of 5-year-old pre-school children, in two areas of Pretoria, to lead in air and surface soil. The study was conducted at 30 pre-schools in Soshanguve and 24 in Pretoria East during July 2001. Exposure to lead in air, lead concentrations in surface soil and dust, and risk factors associated with inhalation expo...

p>In November 1994, a new form of arts patronage began with the introduction of the British National Lottery. The subsequent distribution of arts lottery funds excited much comment over the regional equity and artistic propriety of the allocations. In this thesis, I address these issues by examining the application processes and the lottery award s...